Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff says her country is ready, on and off the pitch, for the football World Cup which starts on Thursday.
In a TV address, she said "the pessimists" had been defeated by the determination of the Brazilian people.
She rejected criticism of overspending, saying that the tournament would leave a lasting legacy of infrastructure.
Brazil has seen a year of protests against bad governance and perceived excessive spending on the World Cup.
Read more: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-27789775
Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff...
